Life-boat.



PATENTED DEC. 27, 1904.

ROBERT DIAMOND MAYO ROBERT DAVID MAYO.

LIFE BOAT,

APPLICATION FILED MAR. '1, 1904.

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LIFE BOAT. I

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 7, 1904.

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' dling lines, arranging lights, &c.

ROBERT DIAMOND MAYO AND ROBERT DAVID MAYO, OF GRAND RAPIDS,

UNITED STATES Patented. December 27, 1904.

PATE T OFFICE.

MICHIGAN, ASSIGNORS OF ONE-THIRD TO HIRON S. OSBORN, OF GRAND LIFE-BOAT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 778,421, dated December27, 1904. Application filed March '7, 1904. $erial No. 197,042. I

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, ROBERT DIAMOND MAYO and-ROBERT DAVID MAYo, citizensof the United States, residing at Grand Rapids, in the county of Kentand State of Michigan, have invented certain new and usefulI'mprovements in Life-Boats, of which the following is a specification.

Our invention relates to improvements in revoluble life-boats; and itsobjects are, first, to successfully apply power for propelling theboats; second, to provide a means whereby the keel of the boat may beeasily and readily thrown to one side to prevent striking the ground inshallow water, and, third, to provide a means whereby the operator maypass around outside of the boat for han- We attain these objects by themechanism illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 isa longitudinal section of the boat on the line 3 y of Fig. 4- Fig. 2 isa B B represent bulkheads near the ends of,

the boat and provided with and B.

In lieu of the dashboards above mentioned we place in the centerbulkhead that is, the bulkhead shown to the right of the carriage thedashboards B C in Fig. 1swinging doors B, so arranged that passengersmay pass from one compartment of the boat to the other whentwo-compartment boats areused.

To secure the engine or motor E to the boat and avert the danger ofcramping or straining the shaft F, we find it necessary, first, toprovide as firm a support for the carriage O as is possible and allowthe shell A to revolve freely, and for this purpose we provide a $8?ries of roller-bearings D, that encircle the shell of the boat withinand provide a-safe steady support for the carriage; second, to preventthe carriage from vibrating endwise, and forsuspend the keel P at thestern of the boat upon the rim M, which is mounted upon the roller- 5bearings 77;,- which in-turn travel freely around the bearing M, and thefront end of the keel P is supported by the hub P upon the cylin-"drical bearing O, which projects from the bow of the boat'back tothe'bulkheads B, where a gear-wheel O is secured to it in position toengage the actuating gear-wheel 0, the shaft of which passes through thedashboard B and is provided with an actuating-wheel O, so that when thewheel O is turned in any direction the bearing O turns and carries thekeel P with it, the back end of the keel being likewise carried aroundby means of the gearwheel H, which is mounted on the shaft 71 .(seeFig. 1) and terminates with an actuatingwheel H within the boat, and asthe gearwheel H meshes-in the gear-teeth 2," on the plate T, which plateis securely attached to the ring M, which supports the keel P, so thatthe turning of the wheel H actuates the stern end of the keel the sameas the turning of the wheel O actuates the front end of the keel, and byactuating both at once the keel may be thrown over to one side, asindicated by the dotted lines in Fig. 3.

The platforms R and their 'su pporting-frame P Q, serve a doublepurpose. First, they may be utilized as platforms extending the lengthof the boat on either side, so that the occupants can emerge from theboat either through the opening L at the stern or through the portholesV V on the sides of the shell and walk along upon'the platforms forhandling'ropes,

v arranging lights, &c., utilizing the rod P as a railing orsafety-guard to which they may hold when operating upon the platforms,and, second, they act as a support and counterbalanee for the keel ofthe boat by reason of being attached directly to the ring M and beingbraced by the braces S, as shown in Fig. 3, so that the ring M and thekeel P are always held firmly in the same relative posi tion, and theweight of the platform and the framework connected therewith overcome toa great extent the weight of the keel and greatly assist the gear H t inthrowing the keel P over, as indicated. When the keel stands in itsnormal position, as in Fig. 8, it is necessary to firmly lock the ring Min proper position with the carriage C, and for this purpose we providenotches t in the plate T and place a key Z in the cylinder L in positionto engage the same, and the cylinder L is securely attached to thedashboard B, which in turn is securely attached to the carriage. Thecylinder L and the dashboard I) always stand firmlyin the same relativeposition, while the keel may be disconnected, as hereinbefore stated,and swung around independent of the carriage and the cylinder L and thedashboard B or B.

To support the shafts F, g, and 7t and hold them in perfect alinementwith the carriage C and the motor, We place a relatively revolublecylinder L within the stern end of the shell A within the walls L andmounted upon roller-bearings Z, so that the shell may revolve freelyaround it.

To strengthen the keel P longitudinally, we place antifriction-rollers Nin the keel and corresponding bearings 97, around the shell A.

The shaft k and the propellers K are supported in the keel Psubstantially as shown in Figs. 1, 2, and t, and the shaft is driven asfollows: There is a gear-wheel F upon the shaft F, that engages acorresponding gearwheel j on the vertical shaft J, which is journaled tothe keel P and provided with a gearwheel J, which meshes with agear-wheel K on the shaft Z17, so that the motion of the motor E istransmitted through these shafts and gear-wheels to the shaft Zr andcauses the propellers K to revolve, forcing the boat through the waterin the usual manner.

In Fig. 2, J represents an ordinary flexible shaft that takes the placeof the shaft J and the gear-wheels in connecting the shafts F and 7c andtransmitting the motion of the motor to the propellers K.

To manipulate the rudder I, we place a gearwheel t' at the upper end ofthe shaft 1 and engage it with a gear -wheel G upon the shaft g, whichpasses through the dashboard B and terminates in an actuating-wheel Grwithin the boat.

U U represent openings in the sides of the shell designed to be utilizedas row-locks for the use of oars in case accidenthappens to the motor orshaft connections hereinbefore described, and q q represent idlerssupported in the arms Q and bearing upon the shell Aof the boat tosupport any excessive weight upon the platforms R.

For the purpose of successfully anchoring the motor we find it verydesirable, if not absolutely necessary, to place two carriages in theshell, especially in long boats, and for this purpose we place a centralbulkhead B between the carriages and place narrow long swinging doors Btherein, so that the two compartments can be actually divided to makethe boat suitable for long use where both men and women are aboard. Thedashboards B in this bulkhead are divided vertically into threedivisions, comprising the two sections B of the dashboard supported inthe metallic ring ,7), which is arranged to revolve in the bulkhead BThese sections B" of the dashboards are securely connected with thesupporting-rings l) by the bars (1, and these. rings are securelyconnected with the ends of the carriage C by the links if or theirequivalents, so that the bulkheads must always stand in the exact samerelative position with the carriage, thus always supporting the doors Bin a vertical position convenient to pass through, and the dashboards Band B are likewise connected in position so that the open portion isalways up, and thedashbom'd B will unite with the carriage C and theeylinder L to hold the shafts F, 7, and iirmly in the proper position torender the motor and its connections with the keel l, the shaft l, andthe propellers K perfectly operative.

The roller-bearingsD are placed entirely around the shell of the boatand are held to place by the encircling ring m, so that the rollers Dtravel around the track I) as the carriage travels over them,substantially as on ordinary loose roller-bearing travels, without thenecessity of the bearing upon sides of the rollers extending entirelyaround the circle of rollers. This roller-bearing is more fullydescribed in the application, Serial No. 19.3.00, filed February 25,1904, by hobert David Mayo, and is especially desirable in thiseonnection, as the metallic track l) not only greatly increases thestrength of the shell, but makes a h'rm support for the carriage againstthe action of the motor when propelling the boat, so that the motion ofthe boat will be steady and without jar or trembling.

In thedrawings, Fig. 1., we have shown the two propellers K attached tothe shaft K'. This we prefer, for the reason these boats are for useduring heavy seas, in storms, as si|rfboats, &c., and with a singlevwheel at the stern the wheel is liable to he carried out of the watermuch of the time, and thus notonly lose much of the exertion of themotor, but endanger breaking and straining the motor by reason ofsuddenly throwing the propeller into and out of labor, while with twopropellers, one of which is practically amidship, one of the propellersmust be immersed all of the time. Another advantage of having twopropellers is that they may be set at right angles, and thus moreperfectly balance their labor upon the motor.

To prevent the cylinder L from moving endwise, we securely attachantifriction-rollers W to the cylinder in position to travel between thebulkheads B and B, so that the revolving of the shell A around thecylinder will be as free from friction as possible and cannot affect thealinement'of the motor, motor-shaft, and other actuating-shafts inthecylinder L.

The principal necessity of having the traveling roller-bearings D, D,and m around the shell to support and carry the carriage is that withthis construction the support under the carriage is more firm andperfect and the roller can be easily reached for adjustment or repairs,which with the rollers journaled to the carriage would be diflicult toaccomplish.

Having thus fully described our invention,

shaft and Wheels carried in said keels, a motor secured to the carriageWithin the shell, and shafts connecting the motor and thepropellershaft, substantially'as and for the purpose setforth.

2. In a life-boat a revoluble shell having bulkheads therein, arelatively revoluble carriage, a relatively revoluble cylinder in thestern of the shell back of and secured to the dashboard, a relativelyrevoluble keel suspended from the ends of the shell, a propeller-shaftand propellers supported in said keel, a motor Within the shell securedto the carriage, shafts and gear connecting the motor with thepropeller-shaft, relatively revoluble platforms and guards secured, tothe shell, braces securing the keel, a gear-wheel and segment foradjusting the keel and steering-gear, substantially as and for thepurpose set forth.

3. Ida life-boat, a revoluble shell having bulkheads and an opening fromthe bulkheads through the ends of the shell, a relatively revolublecarriage within the shell, relatively nected, a relatively revolublekeel pivotally secured to both ends of the boat, gear-wheels andsegments for actuating the keel, a propeller-shaft and propellerjournaled in the keel, a vertical shaft journaled upon the stern of thekeel and provided with a gear-wheel at each end, a motor mounted in thecarriage, a shaft extending from the motor, journaled in the cylinderand having a gear-wheel arranged to revolve the vertical shaft, a gear-Wheel on the propeller-shaft, engaging the lower gear-wheel on thevertical shaft, a rudder and shaft journaled to the stern of the keel, agear-wheel at the top of the ruddershaft, an actuating-shaft journaledtothe cylinder, a gear-wheel on said shaft engaging the gear-wheel on therudder-shaft, a roller bearing-ring supporting the back end of the keel,a segment secured to this ring, and" having notches and gear-teeth onits inner edge, a shaft mounted in the cylinder, a gear-Wheel on saidshaft engaging the gear-teeth on the segment, a latch slidingly attachedto the cylinder in position to engage the notches in the segment,antifriction-rollers and a bearing at each end of the boat and keel, andbraces supporting the stern of the keel, substantially as and for thepurpose set forth.

4. In a life-boat, a revoluble shell, having bulkheads near the ends, arelatively revoluble cylinder back of the bulkhead in the stern of theshell, antifriction-rollers supporting said cylinder, a ring and rollersbearing around the stern of the shell, a shaft extending into the bow ofthe shell, a gear-wheel and gear for revolving the shaft, a keelsuspended from the shaft at the bow, and the ring and roller-bearing atthe stern, a segment and gear for actuating the ring, a shaft andpropellers journaled in the keel, a motor secured in the-carriage, anactuating-shaft connecting the motor and the propeller-shafts,substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

5. In a life-boat, a revoluble shell, a relatively revoluble carriage inthe shell, traveling roller-bearings around the shell supporting thecarriage, a motor, a keeL-platform and guards revolubly secured to theshell, propellers mounted in the keel, a motor in the carriage,connecting-shafts between the motor and the keel anda rudder, shaft andsteering-gear, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

Signed at Grand Rapids, Michigan, March 2, 1904.

' ROBERT! DIAMOND MAYO.

ROBERT DAVID MAYO. In presence of- I'lI-IIEL J. OILLEY,

H. S. OsBoRN.

